2015 Atlanta Symphony Showhouse

Radiating French aesthetic, Château Soleil—built in 1998 by William T. Baker and named for its golden exterior—served as the setting of the 46th annual Atlanta Symphony Showhouse. The area’s top designers employed their best decorating tricks to transform the 14,000-square-foot Georgia estate replete with exquisite architecture, including intricate millwork and marble mantels. Each room is a treasure of stylish ideas.

The front terrace by Chip Wade is furnished entirely by Frontgate. A curved sofa layered with plush pillows and a coordinating round ottoman form a relaxing retreat. “It’s perfect for intimate conversation and a morning cup of coffee,” Wade says. An all-weather rug and geometric planters introduce graphic pattern to the hardscape.

The voluminous living room by Michel Smith Boyd creates an art-gallery aura. Donghia’s embroidered fabric cascades down the wall by the window. High-back armchairs upholstered in teal velvet and a mohair sofa supply plenty of seating and team with kidney-shape tables. Mirrors and minimalist lighting boost the glamour while antique candlesticks add flair to the existing marble fireplace.

Accessible through the living room, the outdoor terrace by Bill Hudgins is ideal for entertaining. A striped umbrella shades the cast-aluminum table and chairs, while a sitting area with an armchair and sofa accommodates overflow. Soft green cushions echo the lush surroundings and contrast with the home’s yellow exterior.

Located just off the foyer, the powder room by Beth Kooby exudes luxury. Above the horizontal wainscoting, a gold floral wallcovering injects pattern and a grouping of antique mirrors reflects contemporary artwork in cool-blue hues. The custom, white-oak floating vanity with serpentine form and Calacatta marble top is finished with a polished-nickel faucet from Kohler.

To emphasize the den’s arched windows and soaring wood-beamed ceiling, Vern Yip coated the walls in Benjamin Moore’s “Newburyport Blue” and hung the draperies as high as possible. He then fashioned a functional sitting area around the fireplace with a sofa, a daybed, and a pair of spooled-wood armchairs. Starburst-shape accent tables double as seating. Chevron, Greek key, and floral fabrics inject personality while “pops of warm orange give a needed punch of surprise,” Yip says. The sconces, drum pendant, and lamps with blue, petal-shape shades are by Yip for Stonegate Designs.

The butler’s pantry by Stuart Pliner proves tiny spaces can have a big impact. To make the small room sing, he gave walls the star treatment with a richly hued wallcovering from Lee Jofa that features an exotic peacock motif. “It adds beautiful color under the cabinets—a place that’s commonly filled with tile,” he says. The cabinets—equipped with dimmable interior lighting—feature Shaker-style doors with seeded-glass panels that let stemware shine. Circa Lighting’s crystal chandelier lends sparkle above.

To contemporize the dining room’s ornate architecture and give the illusion of aged plaster, Randy Korando and Dan Belman coated walls and millwork in the same matte paint. An antique bronze chandelier dazzles above the transitional table, appointed with twin host chairs upholstered in a flame-stitch fabric by Schumacher. The antique French commode—discovered during a buying trip to France—provides a perch for flowers and dessert. Underfoot, a wool rug introduces sumptuous texture.

Just outside, the pool terrace by Hannah Seaton and Ed Castro encourages lounging and evening swims. Frontgate’s armchairs and striped sofa shape a sitting area under the pergola. Ferns and potted plants thrive in the Atlanta sun.

The study by Lance Jackson and David Ecton introduces vibrant bursts of color. “We wanted the space to be fresh and young, and not look like an old plantation house,” Jackson says. The blue chinoiserie wallcovering by Fromental influenced the rest of the room’s scheme—including abstract art, bold upholstery fabrics, and a painted ceiling.

Opting for the unexpected, Ann Wisniewski wrapped the powder room walls in a cheetah-pattern metallic wallcovering by Thibaut. “From a distance, it looks like a very traditional pattern,” Wisniewski says of the whimsical design. To complement the warm-gray vanity cabinet with quartz countertop, she refinished an existing brass mirror in antiqued nickel. Contemporary art and an alpaca bench serve as finishing touches.

To give the capacious dressing room and bath a cocoon-like feel, Danielle Rollins and Bill Ingram used the same large-scale navy floral print on walls and draperies. The design technique “brings the room down and adds a cosseting effect,” Rollins explains.

“Work with what you have, but make it fresh and relevant,” says Melanie Turner of the guest room’s existing wallcovering. Following her own advice, she dressed the French doors in emerald-velvet valances and draperies to offer a textural, jewel-tone contrast to the classic toile. A skirted settee sits at the foot of the canopy bed. Blue-and-white ceramics and a leopard area rug complete the feminine escape.